Six charged in drug ring; one suspect has alleged ties to 'Bloods' street gang

SUNBURY - Narcotics agents from the state Attorney General's Office Tuesday charged six suspects - one with alleged ties to the "Bloods" street gang - in connection with a drug ring responsible for importing and distributing heroin and crack cocaine into Northumberland, Union and Snyder counties.

The following is a list of defendants and their charges:

- Thomas Edwards, 28, an inmate at Northumberland County Prison, Sunbury, possession with intent to deliver heroin, delivery of heroin, carrying a firearm without a license, solicitation to commit delivery and criminal conspiracy.

- John Jones, 40, of 528 Mahoning St., Milton, possession with intent to deliver heroin, delivery of heroin and criminal conspiracy.

- Brittany Tovey, 22, of 2118 North Old Trail, Hummels Wharf, possession with intent to deliver heroin, delivery of heroin and criminal conspiracy.

- Danielle Dinant, 26, of 351 Arch St., Sunbury, possession with intent to deliver heroin, delivery of heroin and criminal conspiracy.

- Brett Leitzel, 25, an inmate at SCI-Somerset, possession with intent to deliver heroin, delivery of heroin and criminal conspiracy.

- Nicole Bower, 24, of 1344 Hosta Road, Paxinos, possession of heroin and criminal conspiracy.

The defendants were arraigned Tuesday by Magisterial District Judge Robert Bolton of Sunbury and will be prosecuted in Northumberland County by Deputy Attorney General David Gorman of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force Section.

Attorney General Tom Corbett said the arrests are a culmination of a joint investigation which began in Sunbury in January 2008 and focused on Edwards and Jones, who allegedly worked together bringing large amounts of heroin from Harrisburg and New York into Sunbury for redistribution. Edwards is allegedly a member of the notorious New York-based "Bloods" street gang.

Corbett said 14 street-level dealers were arrested last year in a previous phase of the investigation.

"Anytime you have dealers trafficking not only drugs, but gang-related activity into your towns, it is a serious situation," Corbett said. "Fortunately, our agents were able to follow leads from earlier arrests and used that information to work up the chain and take down these higher-level dealers."

The investigation was placed before a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges being filed.

According to the grand jury, both Edwards and Jones were significant heroin dealers, with Edwards possessing up to 50 grams at any given time and Jones dealing in bundle quantities.

Corbett explained that a bundle of heroin contains 10 to 14 single-dose bags.

According to the grand jury, Tovey and Leitzel assisted Edwards by making runs to suppliers for drugs and by selling drugs for him in Northumberland and Montour counties. In exchange for heroin, Dinant allegedly sold heroin and allowed Edwards to use her car to make drug runs into New York City.

Corbett said many of the suspects allegedly dealing for Edwards were heroin addicts and would receive heroin as payment for selling the drugs.

Corbett thanked Northumberland County District Attorney Anthony Rosini's office, the Northumberland/Montour County Drug Task Force, Sunbury, Northumberland and Point Township police, Northumberland County Probation Department and Pennsylvania State Police for their assistance in the investigation.

Sign up for Text Alerts

Sign up for e-mail newsletters